Tony Barrow
Tony Barrow stood in the south Lancashire suburb of Crosby during the late 1950s. He presented jazz bands and skiffle-folk groups at local dance halls across town. Teenagers John Lennon and Paul McCartney were putting together their earliest group in one part of Liverpool while Barrow worked nearby. He studied languages at Durham University after attending Merchant Taylors School locally. A seventeen-year-old sixth-form schoolboy landed his first regular freelance writing job in 1954. He wrote pop-rock record reviews for the Liverpool Echo, the largest-selling provincial evening newspaper in the UK.
Barrow moved from Crosby to London to work for the Decca Record Company at the beginning of the 1960s. The Beatles worked in Hamburg clubs while he wrote liner notes on the back of LP album covers. Brian Epstein signed the Beatles to a management deal at the end of 1961. Epstein contacted Barrow for professional advice regarding the band. Barrow arranged an audition with Decca who rejected them. This rejection led to an informal arrangement where Barrow became the Beatles' part-time press-publicity consultant. His earliest task involved promoting the launch of the group's first UK single Love Me Do in October 1962. He received a one-off freelance fee of £20 to compile the initial press kit.
Brian Epstein promised to double Barrow's Decca salary when May 1963 arrived. Barrow left the record company to join NEMS Enterprises on a full-time basis. He opened Epstein's first London office as head of the Press and Public Relations Division. The division promoted careers including Cilla Black, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Billy J Kramer with the Dakotas, and The Fourmost. Barrow saw Beatlemania begin with the band's appearance on Sunday Night at the London Palladium on the 13th of October 1963. At that point the press began contacting him instead of him contacting the press. He gave out Beatles Christmas greetings to fan club members to limit damage from delays in replying to mail. All official fan club members received an exclusive flexi-disc containing messages from John, Paul, George, and Ringo.
Barrow travelled around the globe with John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr during 1965 and 1966. These were the biggest, most lucrative, and most dangerous international concert tours for the group. He conducted massive daily press conferences wherever they were on the road. The group accompanied him on their private summit of the giants meeting with Elvis Presley at his home in Bel Air, California. Barrow set up media interviews and photo shoots when they returned home. One final task involved compiling and editing a strip-cartoon story booklet part of the Magical Mystery Tour recording package at the end of 1967. He coined the phrase the Fab Four first using it in an early press release.
The Beatles set up Apple Corps as their own self-management operation in 1968. This occurred the year after Brian Epstein's death. Barrow's job as publicist became redundant within the new structure. He left NEMS Enterprises to set up Tony Barrow International. Headquarters sat in London's Mayfair district. TBI represented many British entertainers including the Kinks, the Bay City Rollers, the New Seekers, Bob Monkhouse, and Hello. They handled European tours of American artists like David Cassidy, Gladys Knight, David Soul, the Monkees, Tony Bennett, the Jackson Five, Andy Williams, and Neil Sedaka.
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Common questions
Who was Tony Barrow and what was his role with the Beatles?
Tony Barrow served as the press officer for the Beatles from 1962 until 1968. He began working with the group after Brian Epstein contacted him for professional advice regarding their management.
When did Tony Barrow start writing about music in Liverpool?
A seventeen-year-old sixth-form schoolboy landed his first regular freelance writing job in 1954. He wrote pop-rock record reviews for the Liverpool Echo, which was the largest-selling provincial evening newspaper in the UK at that time.
How much money did Tony Barrow receive to promote Love Me Do?
He received a one-off freelance fee of £20 to compile the initial press kit for the launch of the group's first UK single Love Me Do. This task occurred in October 1962 when he became the band's part-time press-publicity consultant.
What happened to Tony Barrow after Brian Epstein died in 1968?
The Beatles set up Apple Corps as their own self-management operation in 1968, which made Barrow's job as publicist redundant within the new structure. He left NEMS Enterprises to set up Tony Barrow International with headquarters in London's Mayfair district.
Where did Tony Barrow meet Elvis Presley during the Beatles tours?
The group accompanied him on their private summit of the giants meeting with Elvis Presley at his home in Bel Air, California. These international concert tours took place during 1965 and 1966.